


Forced enthusiasm

by Rowdyjester



Category: Demons - Fandom, None - Fandom, OCs - Fandom, skeletons - Fandom, skeletonwar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-29
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-03-09 12:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3250412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rowdyjester/pseuds/Rowdyjester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A skeleton sergeant makes a deal with a greed demon. A power hungry demon makes A deal with a dullahan. The sergeant and the dullahan just keep rolling with the punches with as must enthusiasm as possible</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, well this is the beginning! Sorry about that crappy summary, hopefully I'll think of something better in the future. Please let me know what you think so far! The chapters may be short in the beginning so please hang in there

"What do you mean they're gone?" The sergeant cried.

The hospital wards looked at each other solemnly. They would have to tell the war sergeant what they've been telling him for the past three months.

"Your squad is dead, sir. They've been dead for almost four months now." A ward named Jonas recited. 

"Dead? There must be a mistake, they were the best fliers out there! We were supposed to win." The sarge stood and attempted to shove past the wards. 

A towering guard blocked his path, "I'm sorry sir, but your boys are gone. We've been telling you this everyday for three months. What can we do to help you?"

The sergeant clenched his fists, "bring me my boys back! That's what I want! We were a team; a family! They can't be gone." Sarge banged a fist on the guard's hollow chest.

The guard looked to the wards who had already prepared a sedative. The sergeant was sedated and lain gently back in bed.

"We're sorry sergeant, we wish we could help you. But, your boys are gone." Jonas sighed and closed the door behind him.

The sergeant watched the ceiling fan spin slowly as he thought about the war.

\-----

"Sergeant the enemy has been pushed back. We seem to have the upper hand for now." A short cadet named Joey, saluted the sergeant.

"At ease Joey, Gather around boys." The sergeant waved them over and his men huddled close around him.

"I'm incredibly proud of you all. The skeleton war is being won because of you." The sarge squinted happily.

"Aww sarge, we're just doing our job."

"You're the best sarge, we couldn't do it with out you."

The men all gathered around the sergeant; delivering pats on the back and kind words.

The sarge chuckled and waved them off, "alright already, go get some sleep."

His men dispersed and the sergeant returned to his tent.

A pure white being floated in his tent. It hovered above the ground with its legs crossed. 

"I've been waiting for quite some time now." The creature said, tilting its horned head.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The sergeant asked, obviously startled.

The creature looked at the sergeant with big green eyes. Three of them stared at the skeleton. "I've come to help you."

The sarge touched the knife strapped to his thigh. "But who are you?" 

The creature had a set of two eyes on his forearms and black bands on his upper arms with green jewels set into them. The eyes on the creatures forearms looked at the knife on the sergeants leg.

"I am a demon, here to help. I would recommend that you leave your knife untouched." 

The sergeant lowered his hand, "a demon? How could you help me? What do I call you?"

The demon looked annoyed, "you may call me, Ghost" Ghost spoke with a disembodied voice. There was not a visible mouth on the demon. "I have come to help bring your boys back."

The sergeant trembled, his bones clacked together. "But I just saw them, they're with me."

Ghost sighed and the scenery shifted around them; back to the hospital room the sergeant hated so much.

"They are very dead, I assure you. You were just having a dream." Ghost uncrossed his legs and glided over to the sergeant.

Sarge scooted away from the demon, "can you bring them back?"

Ghost chuckled, his eyes closed in pleasure. "Yes, I can bring your boys back good as new." The demon's voice lowered, "but I require something from you in exchange."

The sarge cocked his head to the side, "what would that be?" 

Ghost leaned in closely and circled the skeleton, "I need your feelings. Well, your feelings for them at least."

The sarge crossed his arms, "then what would be the point? I wouldn't even be happy they're back?"

Ghost shook his head in mock dismay, "no, I'm afraid not. But they would be alive and well. They would continue to know you as their sergeant and behave as they normally would. You'd be giving them another chance at life."

The sarge looked at the ground with hollow eye sockets, "that is true. All I have to give up is my feelings for them?"

Ghost nodded, his eyes glowed a bright green. "Yes, precisely. Nothing horrific or painful."

Sarge sat on the edge of his bed and pondered for a minute.

Ghost floated in front of him patiently.

"I'll do it, but I want to have my boys back first." The sergeant said defiantly.

Ghost's eyes creased in amusement, "you misunderstand, the deal must be sealed before I bring them back. I am bound by certain laws, so you can be sure I'll uphold my end."

Sarge nodded and looked up at the demon, "agreed. Let's do this."

Ghost reached out and gently tilted the skeleton's head so sarge was staring at the eye in the middle of the demon's face.

"So it shall be." Ghost whispered and his pupils turned into narrow slits. The green of his eyes glowed even brighter than before, almost blinding. 

The skeleton clenched his jaw as he felt something being pulled from his chest. He wanted to look down, but ghost had him firmly by the chin.

Ghost closed his eyes and released the sergeant's chin. 

The demon held a small bag in his hand. "Emotions, these are mine now." Ghost tied the bag to his waist band. 

The sarge scowled, "fine by me. What about your end of the deal?"

"Ah yes, I almost forgot." Ghost held his hand out, palm facing down. He wiggled his fingers, the rings on his fingers clicked together. A tear appeared in the ground and split open with a loud crack. Six clusters of bones rose out of the crack and settled on the ground. They began putting themselves together and finally reconstructed into the men the sergeant had missed so much.

The sarge however, looked on with a bored expression. All excitement gone from his face. 

The troops looked at each other, jaws hanging in astonishment.

"Sarge!" Joey rushed over and gripped onto the sergeant's jacket. "What happened? Are you alright?"

The sarge growled and pried joey's hands off, "I'm fine, just go. Live your lives, the war is over."

Joey looked at the others, concern etched into his face. "Sir, is something wrong? Did we win?"

"No, we lost. Why do you think I'm stuck in this hell hole?" The sarge gestured around wildly.

The group of recently revived skeletons flinched at the outburst.

"Did we do something wrong?" Private Bravo asked, his voice wavered.

The sarge hunched his shoulders, "yeah actually, I had to bring your sorry asses back from the dead! You went and got yourselves killed and I had to deal with it for months! Get out of my face, I don't want to see you again." He snapped and took a threatening step toward his men.

They backed away and Joey locked eyes with the demon, "what'd you do to him?" He demanded "why doesn't he want us anymore?"

Ghost looked down at him with uninterest, "we made a deal. Your sergeant belongs to me now, body and soul." He placed a hand on the sergeant's shoulder.

The sarge shrugged the hand off and turned away from the group, "I don't belong to anyone, remember that Ghost."

The demon narrowed his eyes at the sergeant, but otherwise ignored him. "No matter. The big point I'm trying to make, is that your sarge wants nothing to do with you." Ghost snapped and his pupils narrowed. The eyes on his arms glared openly at the crew.

"The sarge treats us like family, he wouldn't just dump us and leave." Bravo looked up at Ghost and snarled.

Ghost clenched his fists, "believe it or not, he doesn't want any sort of relationship with you anymore." The anger in his voice betrayed his cool façade.

Joey sighed, "sarge, we gotta hear it from you. Do you still care about us?"

The sergeant pulled the collar of his jacket up around his face, "I don't want to see you boys ever again. Our friendship is over, leave." He finally whispered.

The group shared a devastated look and silently left the hospital room.

Ghost hovered over to the sarge and sat next to him on the bed, "that seemed rather difficult for you. you're trying to hold onto those feelings aren't you." Ghost hummed in amusement. 

The sarge kept his eye sockets on his hands, not really looking at much. "I almost didn't want to tell them to leave, but there was no reason for me to keep them."

Ghost was about to nod in satisfaction when the sarge turned his sad gaze on the demon.

"What's the matter? Isn't this what you wanted?" Ghost asked, trying to keep his emotions in check.

The sarge sighed and placed his chin in his hands, "no, not like this."

Ghost drummed his fingers on his knees, "I see."

Silence stretched between them.

"Get some rest, I'll be here when you wake up. I like to keep an eye on my deals." Ghost murmured and settled down in a recliner at the foot of the bed.

Sarge crawled under the sheets and curled up tightly on his side.

Ghost watched him with half lidded eyes in the growing darkness. The bag at his hip jingled and he glanced down. 

"This has never been so difficult." He muttered and pat the bag. It ceased jingling and ghost returned his attention to the sarge. 

The skeleton did not stir, not even the rise and fall of breathing disturbed his slumber. Ghost made a sniffling noise and adjusted himself in the plush seat.

"You are a mystery, sergeant." He sighed and closed all of his eyes, except for the ones on his arms. They never closed so they could keep a constant watch on the demon's surroundings.

Morning arrived with the ringing of the phone at the receptionist's desk.

Ghost peeked his eyes open and looked at the sarge. The skeleton was already awake and lay in bed with his eye sockets on the demon.

Ghost gave him a puzzled look, "is something the matter?"

Sarge pointed at the eyes on the demon's arms, "they watched me the entire night. Why?" The skeleton didn't sound angry. He just seemed curious. 

Ghost looked down at the eyes and they gave him a sheepish look. "I'm not certain. They have a mind of their own sometimes."

"Now that my troops are alive, Is there anyway for me to get out of this horrible place?" Sarge sat up and tossed the sheets off.

Ghost nodded, "but of course, you are mine after all. I need to have you close by."

Sarge shot him a glare but didn't say anything to correct him. "Whatever, just take me somewhere other than here."

Ghost's eyes flashed with pleasure, "give me your hand." The demon held out his own hand for the skeleton to take.

Sarge placed his hand in the demon's palm and blinked in surprise at how small his hand was compared to ghost's. The demon's hand was more like a paw as it closed all the way around the sarge's smaller one.

"You may want to hold onto me. Traveling can be a bit rough on people." Ghost said and then the hospital room melted around them like candle wax.

The skeleton gripped onto the demon, digging his fingers into his skin.

Ghost hissed in pain, "not that tight, let go of my arm."

The sarge let go and started to float away, but ghost kept a firm hold on him.

The demon inspected his arm and the eyes there started to water. The sarge had left four deep gouges in the demon's white flesh. Small beads of turquoise blood started to seep out of the wounds. They bubbled up and floated into the dark space around them.

"Blood? You're a demon, but you can bleed? You can get hurt?" The sarge asked in fascination.

Ghost covered the wounds with his free hand, "yes. I may be immortal, but I can get hurt. Usually I'm prepared, but I had no idea you were going to grip me so hard." The demon narrowed his eyes at the skeleton.

Sarge poked one of the blood bubbles, "where are we?" 

"We are currently traveling through space and time at a ridiculous speed. We are going to my home for the time being, I need to recharge."

Quick flashes of colors flew by them as ghost slowed their speed. Finally they stopped inside the mouth of a dimly lit cave.

Ghost released the sergeant's hand and the skeleton dropped to his knees. "You'll be able to stand in about thirty minutes or so. You can still crawl, so follow me." He floated off down the candle lit entrance.

The sarge grit his teeth and crawled along the rocky floor. "Demon hospitality at its finest."

Ghost chuckled and the sound reverberated off the cave walls, "that's funny sergeant, because I feel I'm being a lot nicer to you than you are to me."

"Oh hardy har, is that because I scratched your pretty white skin?" The sarge snapped in annoyance.

Ghost waited for him to catch up and planted a foot on the sergeant's head, "I take a lot of pride in my appearance. Something you obviously know little about." He pushed the sarge's head against the ground. "Be grateful for my kindness, you wouldn't want to face the wrath of a demon. Especially not me." The demon kept his tone even and calm. He didn't look outwardly angry either.

The sergeant was quiet.

Ghost removed his foot, "keep crawling, it's not much further."

Ghost continued down the hall that opened up into a plush living area. The ground was covered in fur rugs and the bed was stacked with pillows. Expensive curtains hung on the walls to cover the rocky exterior. 

The demon draped himself on the circular bed and propped a pillow behind his head. "Make yourself comfortable, you must be tired after crawling all this way." Ghost closed the eyes on his face and sighed. The eyes one his arms watched as the sarge crawled onto a mass of blankets.

"They're staring at me again. They have to stop doing that." The skeleton griped and pulled his flight cap over his eye sockets.

"Apologies, they seem to have taken a liking to you." Ghost hummed.

"But does that mean you have too? Those eyes are attached to you so you must be talking about yourself." Sarge smirked and crawled through the blankets and to the foot of ghost's bed.

The eyes on the demon's arms creased in delight, "no, I'm not talking about myself. I sometimes consider the eyes there as separate entities. I don't have full control over them." Ghost lied smoothly. The truth was those eyes showed ghost's surface emotions. The things he tried to hide but couldn't exactly. In all reality, ghost was happy to have a companion.

Sarge gave him a skeptical look and crawled on the expansive bed.

Ghost opened his other eyes, "what do you think you're doing?" He muttered.

"You said to make myself comfortable, so that's what I'm doing."

"Why my bed?"

"Because I want to be close to you. Who knows what other grotesque demons live around here?" The skeleton pulled a cashmere blanket around himself.

Ghost rolled his eyes and settled back against the pillows. "Just stay on your side of the bed. I'll make sure none of the grotesque demons come after you."

The sarge nodded once, "that's what I like to hear." 

Ghost closed his eyes and allowed his body to experience a full recharge. A pale green aura surrounded the demon as he healed mentally and physically.

The sarge crawled closer and curled up next to the demon. He flicked the bag hanging from the demon's waist band. The eyes on ghost's arms watched him with dilated pupils, obviously not bothered by the skeleton.

The sarge tugged the bag open and peered inside. A black void greeted him, "there's nothing in here, this is pointless to have." He scowled and stuck a finger in the bag.

Ghost's hand shot out and yanked his finger away. The sarge flinched in surprise, but relaxed when the demon released him. Ghost had stayed asleep the entire time, it just seemed like a reflex.

The sarge sighed and sealed the bag again, "I guess I shouldn't mess with his stuff." He looked at the arm eyes and they blinked slowly in affirmation.

The sarge slipped off the bed. He army crawled to a enormous ornate metal chest and pushed on the lid. It opened with a soft click and the sarge pulled himself up to look inside. It was full of gold. Piles upon piles of gold and jewels. 

"Holy shit." The sarge whispered. The picked up a thick gold piece and turned it over in his hands.

"He's a greed demon. That's why he wants to keep me around." The sarge murmured. The gold tingled in his hand. He felt the urge to shove handfuls in his pocket.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ghost's voice sounded from behind him.

The sarge tucked the gold piece in his pocket and whirled around. "N-nothing of course! Just admiring your collection is all."

Ghost narrowed his eyes. "Is that so? Just admiring my treasure?" 

The sarge nodded, "yes, that's all. Nothing weird of course."

Ghost reached over the sarge and gently shut the chest. "So, if I go back and count all of my gold pieces. Every single one of them is going to be there?"

The sarge hesitated, "yes."

The eyes on ghosts arms looked furious, but the eyes on his face looked calm and collected. That was not good.

Ghost reached out at the sarge and grabbed a fistful of his jacket. He pulled the sarge up off the ground. The skeleton's legs dangled uselessly. "So, if I check your left jacket pocket there's not going to be a gold piece in there." Ghost hissed. He looked pissed now. His pupils were thin slits.

The sarge gripped ghost's wrist, "alright fine, I have one. Just one, I really didn't want to take it. I couldn't help myself." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold.

Ghost snatched it and dropped the sarge. The demon cradled it close to himself, inspecting it for any impurities. "It looks alright, you didn't damage it."

"Of course not." The sarge snapped.

Ghost glided over to his bed, "leave, I need some time to myself."

The sarge glared at ghost's back, "yeah sure." He stood and walked out of the cave on wobbly legs. "What an ass, It was just a gold piece."


	2. Don't call me miss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help but put up another chapter, so here's a really short thing for now. Don't expect anything for at least a week or so while I work on longer chapters. The next will have kazoo in it and other peoples ocs!

The outside of the dimly lit cave was the whitest, most brightest thing the sarge had ever laid empty eye sockets on. All the talk about hell being fire and brimstone was oddly wrong. It was so glaringly bright and for some reason there were blue flames suspended in midair. 

It was beautiful. The only downside was the amount of demons crowding every nook and cranny. They were everywhere. Playing card games, chatting with each other, even fighting. The demons seemed to pay the skeleton no mind as he wandered around. All except for a tall, well dressed, single eyed demon. 

He seemed to be following the sarge around. Until the skeleton grew tired of it.

He turned to confront the demon, "I've had quite enough interactions with demons for today. So I'd really appreciate it if you didn't follow me."

The demon blinked and cocked his head to the side, "are you friends with ghost?"

The sarge laughed, "that's the funniest thing I've heard all day. No, I'm just a part of his current deal. Who're you?"

"I am vexus, a friend of ghost's. I was following you because it's odd that ghost would let his deals wander around like this."

"He's mad at me, so he sent me off. He's acting like a complete child about his gold."

Vexus shook his head, "even I don't mess around with ghost's gold. He must have been furious."

"I don't care, he completely overreacted." Sarge crossed his arms.

Vexus sighed, turned on his heel and walked off.

"Hey, wait a minute! Where are you going?" The sarge ran after him, combat boats thudding on the ground.

Vexus rolled his eye, "I have a really important meeting I have to attend, so keep you mouth shut. Understand?"

The skeleton nodded, flight cap sliding over his eyes. "Sure, I've been to loads of meetings. Don't treat me like a child." The sarge looked up at a giant crystal building. Shards jut out of the ground all over. A few long serpent like demons were curled or draped over the crystal shards.

The crystal glowed a blood red colour, making the crystals around it give off red and pinkish lights.

Demons small and large were streaming into the enormous structure.

"We're going in there?" The sarge asked. "Won't I be an easy target or something?" 

Vexus placed a hand on the skeleton's back and led him into the hall, "Trust me, you're safe with me."

The two weaved their way through the crowd and found a pair of seats off to the side. "It's mandatory all demons attend, so ghost will be here later too." Vexus explained when the sarge gave him a quizzical look.

Speak of the devil- excuse me, I mean demon- ghost floated into the hall, he seemed refreshed and he carried himself with a certain elegance.

A couple of lesser demons snapped at his heels and ghost shot them a freezing glare. He hovered above the empty seat beside Vexus. "I see you found my little deal." Ghost peered over his friend's head.

The sarge waved and Vexus chuckled, "more like a little pain in the ass."

Ghost shrugged, "oh no, he's not so bad." 

"Be glad I found him before the others had a chance to get their claws on him, it's dangerous to let him out of your sight." Vexus whispered as the room quieted down.

Ghost waved a hand, "he's fine." He looked at the sarge with bright green eyes. "Aren't you?"

The skeleton squirmed under the demon's gaze, "couldn't be better." 

A sea foam green demon stood on a small stage. It's hands were clasped tightly behind its back as it paced the stage. "My fellow demons, I'm sure a lot of you are receiving requests from humans. The mortal world has become a much more violent and greedy place. The requests from the humans end now." It stomped a cloven hoof.

The demons threw up their fists in outrage.

"That's where all of our deals come from!"

"What are we supposed to do!"

The green demon raised a webbed hand and the crowd's agitation subsided. "This has been a long time coming sort of ordeal. We are obviously the more powerful race, why should we be following the orders of the humans? Why aren't they following us?"

Ghost closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "We've been over this before, Pesca. Humans can not be ruled by us, they would die even faster than they do now. You need to just drop the idea."

The green demon puffed out its chest, "ghost, why don't you allow everyone else a chance to speak? I'm certain we all feel different about the topic."

Vexus shot Ghost a side glance, but the demon ignored him. The room was filled with hushed whispers. Pesca looked around the room with its brow furrowed. 

"Anyone have anything to say at all? You're free to agree with-"

"Or disagree." Ghost interjected, his smooth voice over powering that of the green demon's raspy one.

Pesca snorted a puff of black smoke out of its nostrils, "ghost, since you're so adamant about us not ruling a simple species; then why don't you come up here and give your argument as to why."

Ghost waved a hand, the eyes on his forearms looked smug. "If you insist." He dropped to his feet and walked to the stage.

"Let's go back to basic history. We are a part of hell are we not?" He continued without a pause for comment. "That means, lots of dead people and things come through here. Could you imagine the amount of dead people we would have flooding in here? We would be far too over crowded. How do you think the grim reaper would feel about that, let alone even allow it?" 

The demons muttered to each other.

"We don't really have a proper grim reaper. We have a dullahan and you know how slow he are about guiding the dead to the after life." Ghost sighed.

"Oh do you mean adonis?" Pesca said with a laugh, "I would hardly call him a dullahan. He's terrible at his job."

Ghost looked at the other pointedly, "exactly. This place would get so unbelievably crowded because if we're busy ruling over the humans, then how are we to help adonis with his job. If it weren't for he and us working together, then this place would be overrun."

Sarge watched in slack- jawed fascination, "who knew demon politics were so confusing." 

Vexus shrugged, "it's not so bad once you've dealt with it for hundreds upon thousands of years." 

Pesca glowered at ghost. "I suppose you're right for now. That slacker does depend on us."

"Besides, we get enough contact with the humans as it is. I get exhausted whenever I have to deal with them." Ghost's voice echoed in the crowded hall.

Pesca nodded sourly, "fine, I'll drop the topic for now. But be sure I'll find a loop hole somewhere."

Ghost glanced at her before returning to his seat. "Please miss Pesca, do continue our meeting."

Pesca growled, the fin on her spine flared out. "Do not call me miss again, ghost. This meeting is concluded, I have nothing more to say. Unless someone has pressing matters to tell us, then you can all leave."

The demons looked around the room and assumed it was safe to hop up and leave. Ghost waited for the room to clear out before leaving with Vexus and the sarge.

Pesca burned a glare into ghost's back, "history, what a load of rubbish." She scoffed. "I'll show you how useful a dullahan can be."

\------

"You are utterly worthless. What kind of dullahan doesn't enjoy his job?" Pesca snarled.

Adonis cowered in the corner of his studio apartment. "I just don't enjoy it. I only do it if I have to."

Pesca dragged her webbed fingers down her face, "this is your only job. Your life is this one singular purpose and it's the only thing you don't enjoy."

Adonis unfurled his limbs and cocked his head, "I don't like a lot of stuff, this is just the thing I don't care for most."

Pesca rolled her deep blue eyes, "well learn to like reaping! I need you to do this so I can rule the humans." She snapped her jaws.

Adonis cringed away, "is there any other way I can help you?"

"Just reap someone. Learn how to do it right and learn how to like it. Where's your scythe?" She asked, swiveling her head to look around.

"It's in storage. I haven't had to use it in years." Adonis shrugged.

"It's not even in a closet? It's in storage along with your Ducati? The two things you need for your job?" Her fin flared out and she hissed.

"I can't lift a motorcycle, it's too heavy."

Pesca threw her hands in the air and sank heavily onto a stool, "it's too heavy for a monster to lift, of course." 

Adonis sighed and tapped the visor on his helmet, "sorry I can't help you, I don't have magic demon powers to make me super strong and badass." 

Pesca looked up at him, a toothy grin plastered on her face. "I know someone who can unlock your true potential." She stood and grabbed adonis by the shoulders, "I need you to do this for me. Think of the respect you'll earn. Demons will adore you, I swear."

Adonis thought it over for a minute and gave her a thumbs up. "Alright I'll do it."

Pesca's grin widened and she pulled the lanky dullahan against her side, "are you familiar with doctor Kazoo?"

Adonis shook his head, "no, I've never heard of him."

"Well, he lives here in Ireland. He has a small, run down looking home in ballybunion. I can give you his exact address." 

"Public transport from Dublin all the way to ballybunion? That's going to be kind of expensive. I can leave this coming Monday." Adonis counted the days on his fingers.

"Can't you teleport? We could go right now." Pesca gripped the dullahans shoulder, her patience wearing thin.

Adonis winced, "no, I used to use my Ducati to get around. Now I just use public transportation."

Pesca sighed, "I can teleport you there. We'll go together in case you need me to hold your hand because you can't do anything for yourself."

Adonis shrugged her off, "I'm not going to help you if you keep being horribly insulting. I just said I'd go on Monday, why are you trying to rush this?"

Pesca scowled, "do you know who ghost is?

Adonis nodded, "who doesn't, he has a pretty big reputation around here."

"He and I have come to a disagreement. So I need to get you ready as soon as possible before all the other demons start to undermine my authority."

Adonis paced in the cramped space of the studio apartment. "Do we really have to go right now?"

Pesca nodded, her single glowing antenna bobbed. "It is of the utmost importance."

"Is that doctor guy gonna cut me open and do all sorts of terrible things to me?"

"Perhaps."

Adonis sighed, "let's go then, before I change my mind."


	3. Good luck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy that all of you are enjoying my story so far! We have a few guest appearances this chapter so I'm excited to continue with them into the rest of the story. Who knows, maybe dead bodies can make more than one appearance

Ballybunion greeted the two with dark clouds and a cold dampness that froze ones very core. They had teleported onto the stoop of a drafty old house. 

Adonis looked up at the white paint peeling off the front of the house, "not a very good place to have a medical practice if you ask me"

"Well good thing nobody asked you." Pesca muttered and rapped sharply on the front door.

Adonis jumped when the door banged open.

A short person in a faded-yellow hazmat suit stood in the doorway. The mirrored visor hid the person's face. They stood there silently, looking up at the two.

"Are you the pizza delivery people?" A muffled voice came from the hazmat hood.

Pesca gave the suited individual a wide, toothy grin, "why no we're not. Is the good doctor in?"

The suited person stood up straighter, "that'd be me, please come in." They opened the door further.

Adonis and pesca stepped over the threshold. The house smelled strongly of pizza and the floor was scattered with empty pizza boxes. Adonis stepped over a pile of rubber gloves stained with blood. 

"This is pretty cozy." Pesca murmured.

"Why thank you, I try to keep my home in order." Dr. Kazoo led them through a doorway and up a set of stairs.

The stairs led them up into a large office area, complete with a desk and rolling chair. The doctor sat in the chair and threaded their fingers together. "What can I do for you today my monstrous friends?"

Pesca tapped a hoof, "I want to rule the human race. Which can't be done without precious little adonis here." She rubbed the dullahan's helmet. "So I need your help in unlocking his true dullahan powers."

Kazoo nodded, "unlocking potential is not cheap. There will be a fee of course."

A checkbook appeared in pesca's hand with a spark. "Name your price."

"If you want this skinny worthless shell to become a totally badass dullahan, then it'll be like, $25."

Adonis looked over at Pesca, "I could pay that fee."

The checkbook disappeared in a puff of smoke, "pay up then, I shouldn't have to do everything for you."

Adonis smoothed out some crumpled bills from the inside of his jacket pocket and handed them to the doctor.

Kazoo shoved them into a desk drawer and hopped out of his chair. Their boots squeaked as they walked to a curtain on the other side of the room. 

"Do excuse the mess, I haven't had guests in quite some time." They pulled back the curtain to reveal the other side of the room. It looked like a set out of a horror movie.

A body in a garish yellow dress shirt and brown suspenders was nailed to the wall in a splayed out fashion. Above the body was a shelf with a yellow TV on it. A green tongue hung out of the a shattered hole in the screen. Hands, toes, and teeth strung together on fishing line hung from the ceiling like ornaments.

Adonis stepped back and bumped into Pesca, "I'll die here before I ever become a proper dullahan."

Pesca rolled her eyes and shoved him forward, "just go, you've already paid for it."

Kazoo cleared some rusted tools off of an operating table. They pat the table, "come here and lay down for me."

Adonis passed by the body nailed to the wall and eyed it warily, "who's this?" 

The doctor let out a wheezing laugh, which sounded an awful lot like a kazoo. "Just someone I'd been dying to get my hands on. He just eluded me for so long I had to make a deal with a demon to get him."

Pesca snarled, "I don't want to talk about ghost, let's just get on with this already."

Adonis laid down on the table and tilted his head, "are you going to give me any anesthesia?"

"You don't need it, but you do need to take your helmet off for me." Kazoo said distractedly as he lined up his instruments.

Adonis sat up some and unscrewed the helmet from his neck. He popped it off and put it next to him on the ground. Smoke poured out of the dullahan's neck where his head should have been. He laid back down on the table.

Kazoo went around the table and strapped down adonis's wrists and ankles. "This is just for my own safety of course."

"Don't you mean my safety?" Adonis asked with a disembodied voice.

Kazoo hummed, "mmm, no. I don't really want you tearing this place apart. You understand of course."

"Not really, to be honest." 

Kazoo rubbed their hands together, "well, when i unlock your true potential a lot of raw power is going to be released. So you're going to flail around a bit like you're possessed and try to kill Pesca and myself."

Adonis whimpered, "I'm not so sure this is a good idea then."

Kazoo looked at Pesca and she waved a hand, "just get on with it."

Kazoo unzipped adonis's jacket and sliced his shirt open.

"Hey, I liked that shirt." Adonis protested

"Believe me, once I'm done that shirt would have been ripped to shreds anyways." Kazoo said and took up a scalpel. He pressed it into the dullahan's pale flesh and sliced a neat line from his sternum down to his belly button.

Adonis sighed and tapped his fingers on the exam table.

Kazoo peeled the flesh back and pinned it down. "How fascinating." He poked at adonis's still heart. "Not a beat. There's no air going in or out of these lungs either." Kazoo grabbed a long, thick needle and pierced the dullahan's heart.

"Now here comes my favorite part. I'm going to block off the smoke coming from your neck. When this happens, all of that energy will build up until a huge surge of energy explodes. When that happens, I'll pull out the needle I so carefully placed in your heart and it will keep you in your powerful state." Kazoo paused and laughed his wheezing laugh. "This is going to be quite painful. I'm going to really enjoy this, so please feel free to scream."

Adonis made a choking sound when kazoo covered his neck with a metal lid. The smoke began to back up into his lungs. 

"Please, I've changed my mind." Adonis gasped.

Kazoo shook his head and looked at Pesca, "a deal has already been made. Besides, I couldn't back out even if I wanted to."

Pesca folded her arms across her chest and watched in silent fascination. "Are you certain this will work? It seems a bit too simple."

Kazoo leaned against the operating table and ignored adonis's pleas. "As simple as it might be, this is one of the few ways to make a good dullahan. Of course there are other ways, I just enjoy doing this sort of procedure."

"How long will this take?" 

"Oh a least a half hour or so. In the meantime, I'm going to make some tea. would you care for any?" Kazoo hopped down from his step stool.

Pesca shook her head, "no, you go on ahead. I'll keep an eye on the dullahan."

Adonis gagged and gasped, hands clawing at the steel table. He writhed and arched his back, trying desperately to free himself from the torture. His lungs burned and his throat was dry. This must be what dying feels like, he thought.

Pesca circled the table like a shark, "does it hurt?"

Adonis thrashed on the table in response, his skin beaded with sweat.

She grinned, "just think, in about an hours time you'll be reaping the souls of those horrible humans. The power must feel amazing."

Adonis said nothing.

Kazoo returned with a mug of tea. "Are you goading my patient? It's not exactly a wise idea. Because until you imprint on him, he's going to do whatever he wants. Which means he has the power to kill both of us."

Pesca reeled back, "imprint on him? You never mentioned that."

Kazoo unscrewed the air filter in his suit and sipped his tea through a straw. "I didn't mention it? Well it's sort of like imprinting. Well actually, you have to beat him in a fight. Once you do that, he'll serve you loyally."

Pesca ground her teeth and growled, "fighting and imprinting is completely different, you maniac."

Kazoo shrugged and turned his attention back to adonis. "Ooo, he's going to start screaming any second. Look at his lungs, they're about to burst. He's holding in so much pain."

Suddenly, adonis let out an ear splitting shriek. It sounded like nails on a chalk board amplified. It raked down pesca's back like talons. 

She slapped her hands over her ears and hunched over.

Kazoo watched on and calmly sipped his tea. "How glorious. He has so much raw power, what a treat to watch."

"When is he going to cease that howling?" Pesca shouted over the shrieks.

Kazoo shrugged, "soon hopefully, each dullahan is different. Adonis was not all that willing, so he may be screaming for several more minutes." He looked at adonis straining against the straps.

"Is he really secure?" Pesca shouted, he teeth grinding together.

Kazoo took a step back, "he should be. It's not really an issue for me if he isn't. But, he's ready now. I can pull the needle out whenever I need to."

"Pull it out now!" Pesca screeched. Adonis's screams seemed to grow even louder.

Kazoo reached over and pulled out the needle in adonis's heart as the lid over his neck burst off and black smoke poured out of his neck.

Adonis lay still on the table. The black smoke drifted over his body to close the gaping hole in his chest and remove the restraints.

Adonis sat up and reached for his helmet. He screwed it back on his neck and grinned wickedly at Pesca. "I can feel your fear. You're worried you won't be able to control me."

Pesca sneered, "I'm hardly afraid of you, dullahan."

Kazoo stepped in between the two, "take it outside right now. I don't want my house getting destroyed. My neighbors will file another complaint with the police and I really can't have that." He shooed them out of his house. 

Adonis and Pesca ended up on the cliffs near the beach. Kazoo decided to follow them and watch his lovely experiment rip the demon to shreds.

Adonis flexed his fingers and a shiny black scythe appeared in his right hand. "Oh, how I've missed this." He took a couple experimental swings and twirled it until he was comfortable holding it in his hands.

Pesca watched him warily, "adonis, must we really fight? It's safer for you to just do what I say. We'll both get something out of it. This fight is pointless."

Adonis chuckled, "this is how things work. It should be easy for you to beat me though. You were cocky about it before, where'd that confidence go?"

Adonis suddenly dashed forward, turned his scythe in his hands and slashed at Pesca. She twisted out of the way and landed a solid kick to the dullahan's middle.

Adonis might have gotten a whole new set of powers, but Pesca was an experienced fighter. Adonis didn't stand a chance against her.

She ran forward, closing the space between them. She clamped a hand around adonis's throat and squeezed as hard as she could. Her claws dug deep into his flesh. Adonis gagged and gasped in shock.

Pesca threw him to the ground and pinned him there with her body. She hissed and bared her teeth next to the side of his helmet. Adonis was still panting from the kick to his abdomen.

"When I get up, you're going to stay there until I tell you to get up." She growled.

Adonis was silent as she stood over him. She rolled him over with her hoof and tilted her head to the side.

"Get rid of that scythe and stand up. You have a lot of training to do." 

The scythe dissipated into smoke and he stood. He rubbed his midsection and groaned, "you have a hell of a kick."

Pesca smiled, "you flatter me, you really do. But flattery won't get you out of training. You're not terrible, but once someone gets in close quarters with you; you freeze up. We can't let that happen again."

Kazoo clapped and bounced slightly on their toes, "you were magnificent up until Pesca thrashed you. Don't worry though, that doesn't make you any less beautiful to me." They wiped away an imaginary year.

Adonis nodded slowly, "thank you, I think?"

Kazoo pat his arm, "you're very welcome. Now, go out into the world and reap some poor, unfortunate souls."

\----

"So, you seemed to have cooled down after having your episode." The sarge said. he walked in between Vexus and ghost down a sloping crystal bridge.

Ghost looked down at the sarge, "I do apologize for my behavior. I don't usually act so rashly."

Vexus snorted, "what a load of crap. I sat on that damn chest once and we ended up at each other's throats. But this skeleton managed to open the thing and take out a piece before you even did anything."

Ghost flushed blue in embarrassment, "I was sleeping and I got distracted."

Vexus gave him a look, "you were sleeping, but you were also distracted?"

Ghost narrowed his eyes, "shut up."

Vexus looked down at the sarge, "who is this guy any ways? Why'd you take such an interest in him?"

The sarge looked expectantly at ghost.

Ghost shrugged, "I dunno. He just follows me around, he's kind of like a pet."

The sarge flipped ghost the bird, "oh ok, fuck you too."

Ghost laughed, his eyes squinted shut in good humor. "I'm kidding of course."

The sarge hunched his shoulders and shot a glare at ghost.

Ghost gently placed a hand on the sarge's head and pet him, "I feel a sort of attachment to him. It's strange, that's for sure."

Sarge relaxed his shoulders and looked up at the demon from under his flight cap.

Ghost looked as happy as could be. Sarge watched him as he talked with Vexus. The entire time, ghost kept a hand on his head; occasionally petting or stroking him.

They stopped walking when they came upon an enormous sphere made out of crystal. The light inside this one was green and sarge noticed something moving under the surface.

The skeleton pressed his face against the crystal, "what's in there?"

"That's where we keep souls trapped." Ghost explained, "they do have to be contained somewhere."

"I thought they just sort of floated around willy nilly." The sarge looked up at ghost.

"Then what would be the point of taking them if they're just going float around in limbo until they find their way back to their body?" Ghost asked.

"What's the point of taking them if you're just going to keep them in a giant crystal ball?" The sarge crossed his arms.

Ghost squinted his eyes, "touché."

Vexus tapped on the crystal and the souls swarmed around his finger, "the crystal does make for a pretty center piece doesn't it?"

"Vexus, don't you know the rules? Don't agitate the souls, because who knows when they'll break free and wreak havoc on us." A female voice echoed throughout the cavernous room.

The trio turned to see an approaching demon. She slouched even as she walked. The sarge had never seen anyone, especially a demon, so relaxed in his entire life. 

"Epsi, how nice to see you." Vexus said and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Epsi smiled at Vexus and gave a little wave at ghost, "sup. Who's the skeleton?"

Sarge eyed her suspiciously, "I'm the sergeant. You can call me sarge though."

Epsi smiled, "I really don't want to be super forward, but you're the cutest skeleton I've ever seen; and I've seen a lot of skeletons."

The sarge blinked, "that's the nicest thing that's been said to me since I've gotten here."

Epsi frowned at Vexus and ghost, "have you been giving the sarge a hard time?"

Ghost glanced at her, "only when I feel like I need to." 

Epsi seemed to get distracted with something on the sarge's flight cap. "Well, go easy on him guys."

Sarge nodded, "I like her, she actually shows a little respect. That's really all I ask."

Ghost and Vexus rolled their eyes in unison. 

"He acts kind of childish sometimes." Vexus confessed.

Epsi pursed her lips, "I'm just going to take the sarge off your hands for a bit then." She grabbed the skeleton by an arm and started dragging him away.

Ghost narrowed his eyes, "just bring him back soon alright?"

Epsi waved at him over her shoulder, "you got it. We'll meet up later."

Sarge shot a worried glance back at ghost. The demon gave him an encouraging nod and the sarge eventually allowed himself to be dragged away.

"The sarge isn't going to want to hang around you anymore once Epsi gives him back." Vexus said.

Ghost shrugged, "he doesn't really have a choice."

Vexus and ghost sat on a steel bench in front of the soul sphere.

"He yelled at me you know." Vexus said as he watched the souls drifting by in the sphere.

"Who? The sarge?" Ghost asked, looking amused.

"Yes, I can tell he doesn't like me."

"He's not so much a fan of me either."

Vexus looked unconvinced, "did you not notice how he looked back at you? He's depending on you to make sure he's safe."

Ghost mocked surprise, "really? Now why would he do that; I have no concern for his safety."

Vexus gave ghost a look, "you're so full of shit."

Ghost laughed and pat Vexus on the back, "alright, I guess I do look out for the little guy. But, he's in perfectly capable hands with Epsi."

"We both know Epsi, she's going to smother that skeleton with everything he could ever ask for."

"Exactly, then he comes back to the crippling reality that he's stuck with me forever."

Vexus looked genuinely surprised, "you plan to keep him around forever? You're going to toy with his emotions for the rest of eternity, really?" 

Ghost looked at his hands and fiddled with his rings, "I don't know, maybe."

Vexus gave ghost a disapproving look, "I'm usually behind your ideas or schemes, but..." 

Ghost glared at him, "oh, have you taken it upon yourself to be my moral compass?"

Vexus narrowed his eye and growled, "this isn't about morals. This isn't just business anymore, you're making it unnecessarily personal. That's not how you're supposed to do deals."

Ghost bristled, "I know what I'm doing. So keep out of it."

Vexus clenched his hands and forced himself to relax. "I'm just trying to be a good friend."

Ghost closed his eyes, but the eyes on his forearms look apologetically at Vexus. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just hoping the sarge will be a willing companion in the future."

Vexus put a hand on ghost's shoulder, "he's not going to be your friend if you treat him like a deal forever."

Ghost glanced at Vexus, "yeah I know."

The duo watched as a new soul swam around behind the crystal. Actually, make it two souls. Make it three. There was a river of souls flooding in the already full sphere.

Vexus stood, his eye wide in alarm. "What is going on?"

Ghost hopped to his feet and watched helplessly as soul after soul was sucked into the sphere. "Oh no."

a deafening crack echoed throughout the room.

"We've got a big problem." Vexus whispered as a chunk of crystal broke off and fell at the demon's feet.

The lost souls were free once more.


End file.
